Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill and Columbia City restaurants come OUT to support gender considerate best practices making Seattle a safer place for LGBTQ communities

On Wednesday, September 12, LGBTQ Allyship is kicking-off their first Seattle Pride Dine OUT, a one-night-only celebration of Seattle restaurants committed to being LGBTQ affirming. Seattle Pride Dine OUT is a collaboration with LGBTQ Allyship and leading Seattle restaurants, bars and cafes who have taken the Talk Gender to Me pledge. The Talk Gender to Me pledge is a commitment from restaurant owners to a professional development training of staff around utilizing gender considerate language and practices in the workplace. In addition, staff are trained around their worker protections, which include a know-your-rights training for immigrant employees targeted by ICE. Several Seattle establishments who have taken the Talk Gender to Me pledge are participating in Allyship's first Seattle Pride Dine OUT. They are: Molly Moons (All day at both locations: Capitol Hill, 917 E. Pine St. and Columbia City, 4822 Rainier Ave. S.), Due' Cucina Italiana (5pm to 10pm, 412 Broadway E.), El Quetzal (5pm to 8pm, 3211 Beacon Ave.).

In Seattle Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill and Columbia City are neighborhoods where many LGBTQ people work and live. Supporting safety and respect for workers and our neighbors at the local level, is a starting place to address the growing lack of safety for LGBTQ, immigrant and other marginalized individuals. The Talk Gender to Me project works with employers to support dignity and the vastness of experiences and voices of workers and customers around their gender identity, gender expression, gender and immigrant status.

Co-Founder Davide Macchi of Due' Cucina Italiana explains their commitment in taking the Talk Gender to Me pledge: 'Capitol Hill is a magical place that celebrates diversity and inclusion. As the neighborhood (and the City of Seattle in general) becomes more diverse, it's critical that local businesses like us do their part to defend the values that make this community so special.'

In the current political climate, many LGBTQ people are worried about their rights and safety on multiple levels and Allyship believes that employers are powerful partners in achieving healthy economies and vibrant neighborhoods of customers and workers.

Venus Aoki is an undocumented trans woman of color who worked in the restaurant industry when she first immigrated to the United States. She started her transition while working at a restaurant and many of her colleagues and customers misgendered her. The weight of discrimination around her gender identity was too heavy but when she saw the pictures of the Trump Administration caging undocumented children, Venus became inspired to stand up for freedom and dignity. Venus wanted to advocate for undocumented and trans people like her. She learned of LGBTQ Allyship's Talk Gender to Me project and became their Economic Justice Organizer bridging the issues of immigrant and LGBTQ safety, respect and inclusiveness. 'This is important for me because when somebody respects my pronouns I'm allowed to express my authentic self. Breaking the standard of male/female we are open to be inclusive and respectful with our community.'

The Seattle Pride Dine OUT symbolizes a lot of what is right in our communities - partnership, safety, inclusiveness and respect for restaurant's customer base and their staff.

To participate in the Seattle Pride Dine OUT on September 12th contact Allyship at info@allyship.org. All are welcome!

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.allyship.org, or contact Debbie Carlsen at 206-930-6668 or debbie@allyship.org.

LGBTQ Allyship is a social and economic justice organization in the Puget Sound area. We serve over 3000 individuals and work on access to affordable housing, economic equity, and eliminating youth and senior homelessness in the LGBTQ community through education, advocacy, research and community organizing. For more information go to http://www.allyship.org.

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